Our Breeder Screening Process
When evaluating breeders for inclusion or recommendation, we take the screening process seriously to help ensure transparency and integrity. Here’s what we look for:
- Community Reputation: We check whether the breeder is known and recognized within the Shiba Inu show breeder community.
- Active Participation: We look for evidence that the breeder is involved in showing their dogs, which often reflects commitment to breed standards.
- Online Presence: We review their websites and social media pages for accuracy, professionalism, and to identify any signs of misleading or deceptive advertising.
- Health Certifications: We search the OFA (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals) database to verify that their dogs are health tested and/or in the process of getting health results.
- Public Record Check: We check for any news articles, reports, or legal records that may indicate involvement in animal abuse, pet brokering, involvement with puppy mills or other unethical practices.
- Breed Club Affiliations: We review whether the breeder appears on regional or national breed club rosters, which can further indicate credibility and community standing.
- Pedigree Review: We examine dog pedigrees to ensure they are free from known puppy mill kennel names or disreputable breeding lines.
- Breed Standard Alignment: We assess whether the breeder’s dogs reasonably conform to the official breed standard in terms of overall presentation.
- Ongoing Monitoring: We regularly revisit and update breeder profiles based on new information or changes in practices. If concerns arise or circumstances change, we edit or remove listings accordingly.
Our goal is to highlight breeders who demonstrate transparency, responsibility, and a genuine commitment to the health and well-being of the Shiba Inu breed. Although we do our best to screen applications, sometimes it’s hard to know everything so if you have any questions or would like to report concerns about anyone listed please email SIC.
What we recommend for breeders in our list:
- Breeding Dogs & Litters match the breed standard and focusing on the betterment of the breed.
- Health Screening on breeding dogs: Breed club recommended requirements per OFA; Eyes, Hips, Patellas and GM1 screening.
- Keep alert for and work to control and/or eradicate inherited problems and conditions that are particular to my breed.
- Must Participate in Dog Conformation and/or Sports per legitimate Kennel Club.
- Dogs are from a reliable pedigree, and not from BYB or Puppy Mill sources.
- Additional points if you are part of the main breed club or a regional club.
- Pet Home puppies are being sold on limited registration, a Spay/Neuter and return to breeder contract.
- Dogs are Registered with AKC (or legitimate registry for those out of country)
- Full Transparency to buyers about any issues a puppy may have.
- Refusal to knowingly sell dogs to wholesalers, retailers, puppy mills, dog fighters or any other where there is reason to suspect that the Shiba will not receive proper care or may be used in any way detrimental to the breed or the dog itself.
- No history of animal abuse or neglect.
- No history of working as or brokering for backyard breeders or puppy mills.
- No excessive amounts of breeding dogs (I.e 35+ breeding dogs within one household)
- Websites with “add to cart” features on puppies without proper screening of potential owners are not permitted.
- Good sportsmanship as the breed comes before any personal disputes.
- Refrain from deceptive or erroneous advertising.
- Knowingly falsify any records, pedigrees or registrations will have you removed.
Disclosure
SIC makes no representation whatsoever as to truth, quality, accuracy, reliability of any information provided or procured directly or indirectly, by any person or organization listed in the Breeder Directory. We do our best to screen applications but can never fully guarantee, please report if you have any evidence of concern regarding breeders listed.
Application Format
Kennel Name:
Breeder Name:
Website:
Socials: